Shoe-shining chair



Dec. 13, 1932. n. s. TRuLocK SHOE SHINING CHAIR Filed sept. a, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 oE/ev' EYMOUE TEU/ UCK INVENTOR ATTOR NEY Dec. 13, 1932. 1R. s. TRULOCK 1,891,071

SHOE SHINING CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY SHOE SHINING CHAIR Filed Sept. 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm: ,0% l mommy Patented Dec. 13, 1932 PATEN OFFECE ROBERT SEYMOUR TRULOCK, OF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA SHOE-SHINING CHAIR Application led September 8, 1930 Serial'No. 480,545.

This invention relates to chairs designed for use in shoe-shining parlors and has for its object the provision of a chair of novel construction in which means is provided for au- U tomatically giving a signal to attract the attention of the attendant when a customer sits upon the chair, the signal also apprising the manager of the fact that a customer is seated within the chair, the construction bel@ ing furthermore such that an electric lswitch will be automatically closed for causing energization of a suitable fan located above and in front of the chair so that the customer will be cooled While his shoes are being shined. An important object is the provision of a chair of this character which is pro-vided with a self contained counter which will be automatically operated every time a customer seats himself and which will record the num- 2@ ber of customers using the chair and consequently the number of shoe shines given, this feature rendering the chair particularly advantageous for use in chains of shoe-shining parlors inasmuch as the owner may keep strict tallyand check up the number of shines actually given in comparison with anumbei' of shines reported and thus prevent the possibility of the attendant knocking down and not turning in the full amount required. Another object is the provision of a chair of this character in which the switch mechanism and the counting mechanism are entirely enclosed within the chair so that access cannot be had to this mechanism except by the owner or his properly authorized agent having the keys to a door located within the chair and giving access to the mechanism, this door being provided with locking means and being designed to be sealed so that any unauthorized tampering therewith will be readily detected.

Still another object is the provision of a chair of this character which includes a spring pressed seat which will move downwardly when a customer seats himself and ycause actuation of the switch devices and the counter, means being furthermore provided whereby the sensitiveness of the spring may be varied so that the chair may be adjusted when the spring becomes weak after long hard service.

Yet another object is the provision of 'a chair of this character which will have a pleasing appearance and will not greatly dnfer from the ordinary and well known chairs of this type and for this purpose eX- cept for the mechanism, and the mechanism being entirely enclosed will be invisible.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which willl be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly efficient in use, durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

Vith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists inthe details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the chair,v

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof showing` the locking means and seals. y

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional vieW.

Figure l is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view showing the `switch operating mechanism,

Figure 8 is afragmentary detail view looking at the counter operating mechanism,

Figure 9 is a. detail view showing the counter operating trip in a different position, y

Figure l0 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the counter from the right of Figure 8,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail view showing the bell operating mechanism,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail view taken at right angles to Figure 1l, and

Figure 13 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the chair alone.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown my chair as comprising 95 a stationary portion including four upright legs 10 which-may be connected by any desired number of cross-members if preferred and which are also connected by upper and lower platesyll and 12 respectively. lThis l100 stationary portion of the chair formed by these parts is enclosed by a sheet metal cover 13 which is secured to the inner sides of the legs by means of suitable screws or the like and which extends along both sides and the front.

The back of the stationary portion is ordinarily closed by a suitable door 111- which may be hingedly or otherwise mounted and which is provided with locks 15 of the tumbler or padlock type as preferred and which is adapted to have seals 16 disposed thereon so as to disclose whether or not any unauthorized tampering has been attempted.

Mounted above this stationary portion of the chair is the seat frame 17 which has a sheet metal cover 18 extending around all the sides thereof and telescopically engaging over the stationary portion of the chair whereby to permit the seat frame to have vertical movement with respect to the stationary portion. This seat frame carries a suitably upholstered seat 19 of any ordinary or preferred type and which is preferably made more or less artistic and pleasing in appearance so as to improve the entire design of the chair. Secured to and depending from the seat frame 17 is the main shaft 20 which is slidable through the plates 11 and 12 which thus constitute a bearing for the shaft. Associated with the shaft is a rather heavy coil spring 21 which normally holds the seat frame 17 elevated but which will permit the frame to move downwardly to a short distance when a customer seats himself to have a shine. The tension of the spring 21 may be varied owing to the fact that I have provided a plurality of holes 22 in the shaft 20 for adjusting purposes as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings.

Mounted within the stationary portion of the chair and consequently entirely concealed from view, is a bell device 23 having a clapper 24 disposed in the path of movement of an operating lever 25 which is in the nature of a strip and which is carried by a rod or shaft 26 depending from the seat frame 17 and moved downwardly when the seat is occupied by a customer. By this means it will be seen that when the seat is moved downwardly the bell 23 will be sounded so as to attract the operators attention to the fact that the prospective customer is waiting for attention.

It is also preferable to provide a suitable electric fan 27 located above and in front of the chair for the purpose of providing a breeze for the occupant of the chair and I prefer to provide a switch structure 28 located within the stationary portion of the chair and connected with this fan. This switch structure is operated by means of a lever 29 which is connected with a rod or shaft 30 depending from the movable seat portion of the chair. The source of current used for operating this fan is of course the lighting system of the establishment where the shoe shining chair is located and it is preferable that the control wires associated with the switch 28 lead to a suitable socket 31 located in the back of the chair and into which may be engaged a suitable plug connected with the fan structure. This detail is however immaterial as any wiring arrangement preferred may be employed within the sctpe of the present invention.

very important feature of the present device is the provision of a. counter 32 which is located within the enclosed stationary portion of the chair and which is automatically operated every time a customer seats himself upon the chair. This counter is not of peculiar construction as it may be of the kind commonly employed for various purposes, it being understood that there are many of such devices on the market any one of which might be used or be readily adapted for use in connection with my chair. This counter device 32 is of course provided with an operating ratchet wheel 33 and is suitably mounted within the enclosed stationary portion of the chair so that it cannot be tampered with by an unauthorized person. Secured to and descending from the movable seat of the chair is an operating rod or shaft 34 which carries a trip pawl 35 which cooperates with the ratchet 33 for operating the counter 32 every time the seat 17 is depressed.

F rom the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and consequently inexpensive shoe shining chair which will have a leasinor appearance the same as any other clair ofP this character but which will have the distinct advantage of not only apprising the attendant of the arrival of the customer by giving him a suitable audible signal but which will also operate to turn on an electric fan located in front of the chair for adding to the comfort of the occupant thereof, the control of the fan being entirely automatic and being in no way dependent upon an effort on the part of the atendant. It is also to be observed that owing to the provision of the counter 32 there will be an automatic counting or tally in regard to the number of shines given, this feature being of distinct advantage in enabling the owner of a chain of shoe shining establishments to check up on the attendants or employees and ascertain whether or not they are turning in the proper amount of money to correspond with the number of shines given. In this way it will be seen that the chair will operate to prevent or thwart dishonesty and enable the owner to ascertain which of his employees are conducting properly and which are not. It is also to be observed that owing to the urovision of the adjustmentthe device may e rendered susceptible for operating by greater or less weight as may be desired and it is also to be noted that when the spring becomes weak and does not act properly fthe adj ustment may be made to overcome the detect and render entirely as good as new. Owing to the simplicity of the construction and the fewness of the parts it is apparent that there is practically nothing to get out of ordery and that the device should consequently have a long life and satisfactorily perform all the functions for which it is intended.

Nhile I have shown and described the preerred embodiment of the invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

l. In a chair structure, a stationary frame including vertical and horizontal portions, said horizontal portions being formed with vertically aligned openings constituting guides, a seat portion, a plurality of vertically arranged depending members secured upon the underside of the seat portion and slidable through said guide openings where- .by the seat will have only rectilinear movement with respect to the stationary frame, an abutment collar on one of said depending members, a spring engaging said abutment collar and the lower horizontal member for opposing downward movement of the seat, an arm on another of said depending members, a pivoted trip on said arm, a bell mounted on one of the vertical members, and a pivoted clapper for the bell having one end disposed in the path of travel of said trip whereby the bell will be sounded when the seat is depressed.

2. In a chair structure, a stationary frame including vertical legs and upper and lower horizontal plate members secured thereto and vertical plates secured to the vertical legs and defining an enclosure, said horizontal plate members being formed with a plurality of vertically aligned openings constituting guides, a seat member provided at its side with plates telescopicallyv engaging said vertical plates, a. plurality of members depending from the seat and slidable through said guide openings, a collar adjustably mounted upon the central one of said depending members, a coil spring surrounding said central depending member and abutting against said collar` and against the top of the lower horizontal plate member, means on the lower end of said central depending member engageable with the under side of the lower horizontal plate for limiting upward movement ot the seat under the iniuence of said spring, a bell stationarily mounted on one of the legs, a clapper pivoted intermediate its ends and adapted to cooperate with said bell for ringing the same, and means on one of said depending members engageable with said clapper for operating the bell when the seat is depressed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. ROBERT SEYMOUR TRULOCK. 

